By the time a human brain registers danger, a viper’s strike is already over. Here’s how these snakes can move faster than mammalian nervous systems can respond.

Why and When Do Snakes Bite? As is commonly known, snakes bite for two main reasons: to hunt and to defend. When snakes are on the offensive, they use their venom to immobilize and kill their prey.

Vipers execute strikes in a mere 40-90 milliseconds, significantly faster than human visual or spinal reflexes. These ballistic, pre-programmed movements, powered by specialized muscles and hinged ...